Typhoon Shanshan trigger landslides, floods in Japan's greater Tokyo area

Typhoon Shanshan has triggered landslides and floods in Japan's Greater Tokyo Area, causing casualties and disrupting public facilities.

The area, which includes Tokyo and parts of six neighboring prefectures, has been battered by strong winds and heavy rains since the typhoon made landfall Thursday on Japan's southwestern areas.

So far, the storm has killed six lives and injured 110 in total, with one person still missing.

In the area's Kanagawa Prefecture, many trees were uprooted and mud on the road has blocked it due to a landslide occurred on Friday morning. Two cars trapped in the incident had their drivers escape without injuries. The road remains closed as continuous rain hinders cleanup efforts.

Some areas of the prefecture have received over 400mm of rain, causing rivers to overflow and flooding houses and roads. Almost the entire prefecture has been warned with evacuation advisories.

"It was horrible. When I went out to take out the trash at around 08:00 this morning, I saw the river overflowed so badly that this whole area was flooded," said a local resident.

River water also flooded parking areas in a nearby neighborhood, soaking about 20 cars up to their middle.

Residents in this neighborhood said that their cars were damaged and inoperable.

"I left the window open. I thought, crap! Then I came over and saw the car was flooded and couldn't start at all. I called the insurance company, but they said there was no tow truck at the moment, and if the window just kept open, the rain water would get inside again. So, I had to seal them up," said a local.

The Japan Meteorological Agency warned that due to ongoing heavy rain, many areas in Japan are still at risk of flooding and secondary disasters until Saturday. In terms of transportation, there have been significant delays in both domestic and international flights in Japan. On Friday, a total of 28 flights between China and Japan have been canceled.

Local residents said that the Meguro River's water level has risen by approximately one meter due to heavy rainfall.

"This is the first time I saw a typhoon sweeping across all of Japan. Typhoons are supposed to go north from Okinawa. So, I didn't expect it to be like this. I'm very surprised. I hope the typhoon will leave soon. The Shinkansen has stopped, and so have many trains," said another local. According to local media, since the early morning of Friday, the area has issued a flood alert for several rivers including Nogawa and Meguro River that flow through Tokyo, with some parks near Tamagawa being submerged by river water.

Japanese meteorological department anticipates that Typhoon Shanshan will gradually move eastward, approaching the eastern region of Japan. Given the slow movement and broad predicted path of the typhoon, the impact is likely to be long.

Typhoon Shanshan trigger landslides, floods in Japan's greater Tokyo area

Typhoon Shanshan trigger landslides, floods in Japan's greater Tokyo area

Many Singaporeans support raising the re-employment age, partly to stay busy and active in retirement, and to help address demographic challenges in the workforce.

Like many other Asian countries, Singapore is grappling with a rapidly aging population. The government predicts that by 2030, one in four Singaporeans will be aged 65 or older, up from one in 10 two decades ago.

A survey on retirement and employment conducted last year in the country found broad support for raising the national retirement age, with about 88 percent of those aged 50 and above in favor.

Some supported increasing the retirement age because continuing to do what they love, rather than retiring, keeps them feeling youthful and fulfilled.

When Nancy Hor, a retired IT operations manager, left her job five years ago, she wasn't sure how to fill her time.

"I'm a workaholic. At the very first stage after I retired, I felt I could not find balance," she said.

Hor, now 70, said it took her some time to adjust. In her spare time, she stays busy line dancing and spending time with her family.

But she said that if she had had the choice, she would have liked to stay employed a little longer.

"I think it's good for the elderly that even they have some job to do, and keep them busy," said Hor.

In March, authorities announced plans to raise the retirement age to 64 and the re-employment age to 69 by 2026.

Singapore's Minister of State for Manpower, Gan Siow Huang, said the changes to the rules protect senior workers from dismissal due to age-related issues before they reach the statutory retirement age. Employers are also required to offer re-employment to eligible workers until they reach the statutory re-employment age limit.

This follows a similar move made two years ago to raise the retirement and re-employment ages to 63 and 68, respectively. The city-state is also aiming for a retirement age of 65 and a re-employment age of 70 by 2030.

"That is to reduce the impact on businesses, so it gives time for businesses to adapt their policy. This gradual increase in retirement age basically provides a framework for individuals like myself, who want to continue to be gainfully employed," said Patrick Chang, a retirement planning specialist and the author of the A to Z guide to retirement planning.

Chang said that businesses will need to make adjustments to accommodate the changes, including offering retraining for senior workers.

He noted that the changes won't impact those who still wish to retire earlier, but given Singapore's demographic challenges, the country cannot afford to remain idle.

"If we don't do it now, the social cost could be high. We cannot wait until the time when we need it today, and then we get something done. It will probably be a bit too late, and the cost of getting to that solution will be higher," said Chang.

Many Singaporeans support raising retirement, re-employment ages